+ Common Core Concepts +

+ Ork forces of the Scallop Stars +

+ The below colour text is drawn from The Scallop Star Purges, a PCRC campaign – please feel free to use it as inspiration for your forces or your own campaigns. ++ This, like all our campaigns, is supported by a large interactive map [+noospheric inloadlink embedded+]on the PCRC website – built and maintained by the inimitable grahamgilchrist. +

+++

+ Within a tribe, orks do not recognise leaders that they have not approved; even if that approval is based purely on not feeling quite 'ard enough to challenge them! That said, most orks are – above all else – eminently practical, and they are far more intelligent and capable of cooperation than the Tactica Imperium tends to imply. A warboss or tribal leader is more than happy to enter into a mutually agreeable alliance with another ork of equal stature, though such alliances do rely on the group of orks having a sufficiently powerful enemy to push against.

+ A mob from the Blakk Kuttaz +

+ Orkspace makes up a sizeable proportion of the Antona Australis sector. Most is uncharted, and only the entrance area – the Scallop Stars themselves – are broadly known to Imperial navigation, owing to the Great Culls of history and the short-lived settlement of Imperial citizens within the worlds of the area. The Lord Commander Ultima was of the opinion that trying to gain the element of surprise over the infamously divided orks was of little advantage on a strategic level – judging that resources spent keeping lip tightly shut were almost inevitably doomed to fail. As a result, freebooters, mercenaries and orks that had simply drifted into the Scallop Stars and heard of the impending Crusade began to spread the word.

+ This proved a costly mistake. The Imperial forces ranged against the orks during the Fourth Great Cull was of such size that word spread quickly and began to attract ork groups from much deeper within orkspace than any previously seen. With such a huge amount of aggressors ranged against them, the various ork forces began to swell in size and gather, held together by a dense mesh of promises, alliances and badly-hidden threats.

+ Orks of Da Golden Horde were responsible for the loss of Clan Trago of the Iron Hands +

+ These were not true Waaaghs – the nearest ork cultural equivalent to ideological crusade, which bear as much resemblance to a pub crawl as a military assault – as they did not admit single leaders. None of the warbosses, warlords or commanders were individually powerful enough to direct the groups; but tribal and klan affiliations as well as orky spirit ensured that they were able to act in a deceptively subtle and intelligent manner.

+ Zogbog of da Shooty Boyz is filled with the Waaagh power of the madboyz mob +

+ One such gathering became known simply as the Stellar Wells Greens owing to their loose aggregation near the Stellar Wells. The Greens were a group of ork fleets, individual spacecraft and mercenary forces that swelled to such size that they rivalled each of the Imperial Purge Fleets. At this critical mass, the Greens became a semi-permanent entity that could strike anywhere along the corewards front, while remaining safely shielded by the Boten Cloud Nebula. Such was the reputation of the Stellar Wells as a good point for conflict that casualties and groups that left through argument, treachery or betrayal were continually replaced throughout the early stages of the conflict.

Famous Craft of the Group

The Space Hulk Worldburner was positively identified during numerous Void War engagements around the Stellar Wells

Seemingly built around the hulk of a Pique Lumen battleship, the Slamma's Hammer became infamous for its stealth field technology; accounting for thirteen confirmed kills of Cruiser displacement during the war.

Guldreg (Breaker of Bones), is testimony of Warboss Grimduff's twisted personality. The halls are filled with limbs and heads of slaves and enemies he has defeated. Some parts are even painted in blood. Other Orks have very little interest, viewing the morbid decorations as "unorky", but it does seem to have considerable more effect on the slaves.

Ork Armies of the Group

Sunfang Tribe – Orks of this group can be readily identified by the flames they lavishly decorate their vehicles, equipment and even skin.

Blakk Kuttaz – Skraga Kan

The Filthy Vandals – given this unofficial name by Lord-General Matys during the Invasion of Kilsnik in the second year of the Crusade, this rag-tag tribe of orks emerged briefly from the Stellar Wells, led by Scurgog One-hand, the orks' were notorious for their desecration of Imperial STC shrines established for the invading human forces. This led, in turn, to low morale amongst the invaders.

Grim Blades – Typically for a Blood Axe, the leader of the Grim Blades, Sniklug Gortoof Og Nargor, wears attire that is a foul parody of the uniforms worn by the Imperial Guard. Unlike most other Orks, Sniklug wears little decorations; his wrist mounts several necklaces previously worn by high ranking Imperial Navy officers and priests.

Gouged Eye – Warboss Nazgul

The infamous pirate Kaptin Gobnaz Nazbad wears a colorful attire patched together from various pieces of expensive fabric the captain had stolen during his raids. After severe facial injuries that took his left eye and tore up his jaw – combat with a Space Marine captain according to his group, the Jolly Gitz (or to a runty face-eater squig, if you believe his rivals) – his lost eye was replaced by an implant. His jaw is kept together with golden rings.

Da Golden Horde – Led by the famed Snakebite Warboss Dances Wiv Squigs, the horde is famed for recruiting heavily from the feral worlds of Rokshak.

Bloody Teef Boyz – Known for chewing betel, a rare spice that stain the mouth, teeth and chins of these orks blood red, they are led by the Bloodeater King.

+ The Grovsenor Front Purges Fleet was a joint Imperial and Merchant Navy operation that formed the third drive into orkspace during the Scallop Star Purges of M37. The Fleet was initially tasked with the prosecution of the war on the coreward front, and was commanded by Admiral Thrane, an experienced career officer who had commanded the Ambitine Fleet successfully for decades. He was regarded as a safe pair of hands for command, and was a close personal friend of Lord Commander Ultima Abattol, who held overall command of the Naval forces at the onset of the Scallop Star Purges. +

+ Famous ships of the fleet +

The battleships Foeslayer and Sebastian Thorwere part of this fleet; serving with distinction. This was their last large fleet movement before they were permanently – and honourably – stationed in the Grovsenor system, where they remain to M41.

The Emperor class battleship Rosetta, newly-constructed through funds by the Governor Drblon of Grovsenor VI, was Thrane's flagship for the first part of the war.

The famed Sword class squadron Ishmael's Fury became famous for its daring during this conflict.

+ Regiments of the Grovsenor Front +

+ The greater proportion of the fleet was tasked with escorting the heavy regimental transports of the Imperial Guard; their role – like the other Purges fleets – was largely to ensure the Guard made planetfall safely in the Scallop Stars; and then to hold the area until a further drive into orkspace could be made.

+ The war had huge popular support across the Anton Antecedent subsector, and many worlds provided regiments. At the outset of the war, the following regiments were embarked with the fleet.

Adobe 1st PDF Pioneers – Initiator Batt

Anchorpoint 88th Airborne – Marshal Hindmost Travys

Anchorpoint 1100th Heavy Infantry – Brigadier Scodt

Anchorpoint 1703rd Heavy Infantry – Brigadier 'Guts-deep' Godon

Anchorpoint 2889th Light Infantry – Brigadier Bastian

Anchorpoint X–9 Reserves – Colonel Krafté

Blenheim 1st Expeditionaries – Grand Marshal Blight

Blenheim 2nd Expeditionaries – Field Marshal Trentpuddle

Blenheim 'Blithes' 3rd Expeditionaries – Field Marshal Gibbs-Foster

Brasidine 40th Armoured – Heeresfuhr Litvoll

Brasidine 60th Artillery 'Shriners' – Zhong Ho Chi

Decens Delphics – [Command Origination unknown]

El Migan 72nd Grenadiers – General Selladin

El Migan 8th Armoured – General Lowrents

Grant's Swell 19th Rifles – Granjuke New Yawk

Grovsenor II Storm Corps – Star-Colonel D'arby

Grosvenor VI 'Rose-scented' Fourth Infantry – The Baron Punis

Grovsenor VI Enhanced 2nd Infantry – [Command Origination classified]

Hag's World Irregulars – Principal Armot-Ytter

Hunkopian 1st – [Command Origination unknown]

Hunkopian 2nd – [Command Origination unknown]

Hunkopian 4th – [Command Origination unknown]

Ibsen XIV Infantry – Kenraali Nukkakoti

Lamb's World 7th – Caef-Maior Cig Oen

Limbs 20th Cavalry 'The Emperor's Needles' – Hochchevalier Tür

Limbs 4th Mechanised Infantry – Hochfyurer Kurtz

Melissa V 418th Infantry – High Marshal Lancelot

Neues Tremo 'Unloved' 93rd – Seinse Bathory

New Republican Browncoats – Land Admiral Glory Standun

Plutarch 11th Regiment – Marshal Watkins-Watkins

Sedna Slumdogs – King Curd

Selenian 1st Abs – Brayshaman Hurdy

Sigma-Agrian XIII – General Cleanhart

Tenstar Elegants – General Li

Varan's World Armoured – Zbora Czarin

+ Mechanicus forces of the Grovsenor Front +

+ Lord Commander Ultima Abattol was known to be disappointed by the poor support the Mechanicus lent to the Grovsenor Front, as only one Demi-Legio answered the call to Arms.

Legio Validus

Braun VI 2nd Skitarii

Braun VI 1010th Skitarii

Yoke 1st Skitarii

+ Ministorum forces of the Grovsenor Front +

+ The Grovsenor system has long had strong connections with the Ministorum, and numerous Sororitas battle Orders and Missions are dotted around the Anton Antecedent subsector. However, the subsector Grand Bishop was engaged in a long and petty rivalry with the Sector Ecclesiarch Martial VI, based in the rival hesiod-Siculus subsector. As a result, relatively few Adepta Sororitas Orders contributed to this front, to the private dismay of many, who saw the Purges as a great opportunity for the healing of political and spiritual rifts in the wake of the Hesiod Romantic Rebellion and the Hesiod Epidemic. Those that did contribute to the war effort were either disdainful of the Grand Bishop's power or politically savvy enough to recognise the way the spiritual winds were blowing. +

Order of Solar Ascendant – Abbess Rigel

Order of the Shrouded Sight – Abbess d'Arcy

Order of the Unvanquished Night – [Command Origination unknown]

Order of the Bloody Ear – Abbess Shrinner

Order of First Return – Canoness Louell

+ Astartes Pledges of the Grovsenor Front +

+ In stark contrast to the Ministorum's lukewarm show of force, the Adeptus Astartes pledged reassuringly large forces to the Grovsenor front. Many old contacts, pacts and bonds were honoured – some dating back to the founding of the Sector. The coreward subsectors – and especially Anton Antecedent – have long had closer connections to the rest of the Imperium than the rimwards subsectors owing to the Hyperion Warp Corridor's corewards exit. +

+ inload: Craquelure effects +

+ Games Workshop recently released a new paint in their Technical range, called Agrellan Earth. It's a neutral colour that results in a craquelure effect on the finished piece. I've experimented with a couple of craquelure mediums before, and have liked the results, so I thought I'd pick up a pot. +

+ I've had a load of orks sat around waiting for basing inspiration to strike me, and this seemed the perfect opportunity. It's also a sneaky preview for you on the Blakk Kuttas, the M37-era tribe I'll be using in next year's PCRC campaign (cor, dat's ded sneeky). +

+ Use of the product +

+ The orks were painted completely then glued to their bases. Each base was then painted with a dark brown (Rhinox Hide). This is because Agrellan Earth will shrink – this is what creates the cracks – so you want a sympathetic colour underneath to see through the gaps. Since this was an experiment, I also textured one with sand (he's second from left in the images below). +

+ The craquelure effect usually requires a thick layer, so I sloshed it on using a 12mm (¼in) flat brush. I've found these useful for basing with the GW technical paints as they allow you to carry a decent amount of the pigment and spread it easily while being flat enough to let you avoid the model itself. +

Paint freshly applied.

+ The models were then left to dry overnight in the spare room where I mostly do my painting.

+ Here are the results after eight hours:

+ Dried effect after eight hours. +

+ As you can see, the effect has worked quite nicely to suggest mud flats. I'd be tempted to use a more midtone colour in the future to avoid the large dark gaps on models like the one second from the right – I hadn't realised the effect would be quite so pronounced. The bases need a little tidying up around the rims, but otherwise look pretty good. A little experiment saw me able to scrape errant bits off the rims of the bases easily, so I'd be a bit concerned about the longevity of the effect for models you're transporting or use for gaming. I'm also a bit sceptical that they'll hold up to any simple highlighting effects like drybrushing. +

+ Here's a closer look at the two effects. On the left, Agrellan Earth was applied directly on to the untextured base (these are 30mm bases from Heresy miniatures [+noospheric inloadlink embedded+]), while the ork on the left had a base pre-textured with sand. The effect is less extreme (fewer, smaller gaps) on the right, and I suspect it's probably going to be more resilient. Both effects look quite nice, though, in my opinion. +

+ In future, I'd like to experiment with layering the paint over some of GW's textured paint range like Armageddon Dust, as I think it would provide a nice mid-point between the two extremes in the detail image above. I also wonder whether you could get some nice lava effects by painting the base bright orange and lightly spraying black over the drying Agrellan Earth before it cracks. +

+ I think this is quite a fun product to play around with. Caveat emptor, though, as you don't get much in a pot (12ml, I think) and have to layer it on quite thickly to get the effect. If you want to work quickly, the GW paint is pre-coloured and mixed, which will save you some time and let you get stuck straight in. I don't get as much time to paint as I'd like, so I'm happy to pay for the convenience. I have heard there's apparently a bad batch of Agrellan Earth (kudos to the GW saleswoman at Brighton for warning me of this before purchase, and explaining how to go about getting a replacement) so, if possible, ask about that when buying. +

+ Alternatives and addenda +

+ However, you can pick up colourless craquelure medium from art shops very cheaply, which will achieve the same effects with slightly more time and layering (it may be sold as crackle glaze medium or as a two-part medium). Vallejo do a crackle medium that works well, though I've found it a bit more faff to use – you have to be quite careful with your timings and the results can be fragile. +

+ Alternatively, you can use PVA glue for a similar – though less controlled and more extreme – effect, as seen on the bases of these Epic Eldar grav tanks. The trick to craquelure is simply to get a thin layer of paint on over a slow-drying layer. Aerosol paint works well for this because it creates such a fine layer. Lay on a thick layer of PVA, then simply spray normally over it before leaving to dry overnight. +

+ Conclusion +

+ In conclusion, I think Agrellan Earth is a good, if slightly pricey product. Like a lot of GW's stuff, it's aimed at fuss-free and speedy work, and it does this very well. There are good, cheaper alternatives that will give you comparable results and are more versatile (only having one colour rather restricts the effect) but I'm happy to recommend this if you're on the fence.++ APPEND ++ Since writing this review back in the heady days of 2013, Games Workshop have released a couple of other craquelure paints – Martian Ironearth is a red version, for example. The review applies equally to those; it looks like the carrier medium is identical – just a change in hue. +

+ inload: Captain Carbas Parcer +

+ Like many planets in the Imperium, Aldebaran is hidebound and dogmatic. Being so close to the border of orkspace and within the highly militarised planetary system of Port Cassian, the inhabitants of Aldebaran are afforded no illusions about the terror beyond the stars. Aliens are very real, danger is ever-present. This breeds a certain defiant stoicism and piety into the planet's sons and daughters. A typical Aldebaranian will have an adventurous and dutiful nature, and the society celebrates those who have an ordered and private demeanour, putting aside self-glorification as slightly distasteful, if not shameful.

+ With that borne in mind, Aldebaran is not an unpleasant planet. It is no fortress world like Cadia or Braun VI, and the citizens are mostly free to make their livelihood as they see fit. Many are relatively prosperous, and this helps to maintain a pseudo-feudal system of indentured – but optional – serfdom under a slightly mobile middle class; themselves beneath an aristocratic caste which is – with notable exceptions – admirable in their restraint and sense of duty.

+ Aldebaranian officers are expected to uphold the traditions of the Imperium, their planet, and their home city. Most officers are drawn from the dynastic families – generally the third-born children of the well-to-do aristocratic class – but many are drawn from the mobile middle class, and these bring a certain opportunistic and devil-may-care approach to the office. Those who are conspicuous in their gallantry can reasonably expect their families at home to benefit; and perhaps to find their nearest kin welcomed into the aristocratic circles.

+++

+ Captain Carbas Parcer wears Aldebaranian standard officer kit. The extended helmet offers greater protection to the neck and conceals enhanced communication gear. This is set off by the honorific death mask which is worn by tradition as a reminder of the Emperor's deathless struggle – serving both to remind the officer of his spiritual duty, and to instil in his charges an association between the Emperor and the officer him- or herself. In wearing the mask, Parker is, in essence, reminding his soldiers that his authority is drawn directly from the Emperor.+ Over his fatigues, he wears a long frockcoat, buckled by brass (rather than alumsynth) buttons, is overlaid with standard issue webbing that holds spare ammunition, a day's iron rations, and secures the chem-mix rebreather.

+ In his thick, weather-cheating gloves, Parcer wields a Mars-pattern power sword, likely sublicensed and manufactured upon the Forge World Bellatrix, which lies nearby. Parker's records note that it is named 'Drawgore'; perhaps a personal flourish, or a family heirloom.+ It is an Aldebaranian tradition that soldiers that die off-world are buried where they fell; or as near as possible. In this way, Aldebaranians believe the soil is sanctified and purified.

+ This final image shows the lambent purple glow that marks the weapon as of Martian design, near the power sword's generator. The officer's holstered laspistol, with debossed leather flash, and his standard water flask are also visible here.

+ inload: Painting the Aldebaran 18th +

+ When starting a new project, whether a single figure or a whole mass of troops, I like to start by having a think about what I want to achieve with a colour scheme.+ Having just finished an Eldar army for a campaign on Frigia (an ice world), I'd had great fun with bright, vibrant colours. The scheme had a warm-blue and yellow as the main (complementary) colours, with a pair of complementary accent colours (magenta and turquoise) that worked in a tetrad. Quite a complex scheme, it worked well. For this new project, I wanted to try something much more restrained and muted, so I'm opting for a simple three-part scheme of blue-grey as the primary, warm brown as the secondary, and red as the accent.

+ The cool blue-grey here is represented on the overcoat and rifle body. On the coat, white primer is shaded down from a midtone of Fenris Grey to Charadon Granite (essentially black in the recesses) and up through Space Wolf Grey to white, which is the dominant tone of the finished area. Light colours reflect more light and so catch the eye, while the deep tones in the recesses provide strong contrast, which builds on that effect.+ Little of the midtone remains on the coat, which ensures striking contrast – the target of the paint scheme. The rifle has nearly the same range of tone, but restricted to the recesses and edges, so much more of the basic midtone is visible. This means that the two blue-grey areas are coherent in hue – even if the basic tones are very different. This coherency helps ties the model together, while the contrast in tone makes it visually interesting and striking, and makes the gun stand out against the coat, which stops the whole model becoming visually confusing.

+ For the warm brown, I've used Calthan Brown, and this is used on the gloves and respirator. Warm colours draw the eye, so using them on the head and hands makes sense – these form a triangle on most human-shaped figures, which leads the eye around the model and makes looking at the model both restful (because the eye is led around a contained shape) and interesting (because there are multiple points of interest).

+ As an aside, it's important for this effect that these points (the head and two hands) add up to an odd number – people seem to find these more interesting and visually pleasing. Using an even number of points encourages people to rest on one. This isn't hugely important on a single piece miniature, as the composition is largely done for you, but it's worth bearing in mind when doing conversions.+

+ At this point, the model has interest provided by the strong contrast in tone, but it doesn't catch the eye. For this reason, I added strong reds. These are danger colours that we've evolved to pay attention to! I've used them on the goggles and as a freehand helmet stripe, in order to draw the eye to the head. This, in combination with the wealth of detail here in comparison with the clean spaces of the other areas, makes the head the focal point. + With the red in place, the scheme started looking a bit busy (it's a small model, after all), so I muted the warm brown of the gloves and respirator by adding white to the colour and highlighting them up. This reduces the contrast in hue, and ensures your eye goes straight to the helmet. From here, it travels to the face (respirator), then on to the gloves, where the eye is led back to the focal point.+ To keep the eye on the model, the figure received a simple base made with Mourn Mountain Snow, one of GW's new texture paints, and a light drybrush of pure white. I added some little tufts of lichen (sponge) for interest. +

+ Profile inload: General Ynginel Howl, of the Aldebaran 3rd Army +

+ Aldebaran, a populous and civilised planet, was destroyed in toto by Warmaster Kaur in late M40; and exists now only as an orbiting band of asteroids and dust. Prior to its destruction, the planet was an exceptionally cosmopolitan planet, staunch in its service to the Emperor both politically and militarily.+ Aldebaran pledged a huge amount of forces to the Fourth Great Cull of the Scallop Stars (M37), an action which later historians marked as a turning point in the planet's political history. The enthusiastic populace largely burnt itself out in massive and ruinous trading to fund warships, soldiery and equipment, causing terrible hardships amongst the remaining populace; as well as a huge shift in demographics. It is in no doubt that the loss of so many fighting men and women, plus supporting materiel caused a massive shift in the populace's support of warfare, turning the planet's people from a bellicose and confident support of belligerency to a more hesitant and political – though no less dangerous – approach.

+ However, it is undeniable that the raising for the Fourth Great Cull enjoyed huge support. Aldebaranians had always been traditionalists, and the return of the Cull by Sector Ecclesiarch Martial VI was met with approval. + By the announcement of the Fourth Great Cull, General Ynginel Howl was a much decorated hero of the Eorta Crusade, a broadly successful foray by the Imperium into the Scallop Stars, and the affair which led indirectly to the return of the Great Culls. He had a dynamic and ruthless style of command, stand-offish and superior. Nevertheless, his great charisma and personal eccentricities endeared him to his troops, and he led a successful 3rd Army in the first stages of the war.+ The 3rd Aldebaran Army was made up of over two dozen oversized regiments, mostly Mechanised Infantry, and Howl also enjoyed command over other forces from the Port Cassian intake, including Exercitine Expeditionaries, and light infantry from the Feral Worlds Cepheus and Dorin Antrum.+

+ Scenario inload: Scallop Stars +

Killsnik
Engage

Idiotic Navy. If they had landed the Drop Bastion where
they were meant to, the orks would never have dared send patrols forward. Still,
at least he'd see some action at last. Sergeant Cypheus glanced around warily, before waving his men
deeper into the steaming jungle. He couldn't shake the feeling that something
was watching him.

Three-way game played over a 4 x 4ft
table, covered in jungle – set up of terrain is determined by the third player. A dilapidated bastion (AV12) with an Icarus lascannon is set up in the
centre.The ork army is limited
to 600pts, and must include at least one unit with the infiltrate or
scout rule.The Imperial army is limited to 500pts, and must include
at least one unit with the infiltrate or scout rule.Force
org is modified to one compulsory Troops; five optional Troops; three optional
Elites and one optional Fast Attack. No Heavy Support or HQ.No coherency
rules apply to models, and they are treated as individuals in all respects –
though if models are within 2in at any stage, they form a unit exactly as though
they were independent characters (this is relevant for multiple shot weapons,
ork mob rule etc.).The ork and Imperial players roll off,
the winner choosing a table quarter.The ork and Imperial players then set up
a quad gun completely within 12in of the bastion in a neutral table quarter of
their choice. The third player sets up a squad of
terrified Guardsmen (10 men, one sergeant, one flamer) within 3in of the
bastion. They may not move more than 12in from the bastion, and must pass an LD
test not to shoot at any eligible target that they can see at
the start of the shooting phase. If they pass, the third player may choose
whether to shoot or not. At the beginning of turn 3, the third player receives a Valkyrie with Missile pods and
Lascannon.

The winner is the player with a model
in the Bastion at the end of turn 5.